The role of cuticle in fruit shelf-life

Ensuring the availability of high-quality fresh fruits requires the development of strategies to maintain prolonged shelf-life. The plant cuticle is a modification of the outer epidermal cell wall and, as such, acts as a barrier with the environment. Understanding how the cuticle naturally changes during postharvest is crucial to address the potential effect of different storage conditions on the cuticle biophysical properties. The impact of different cuticle traits in fruit water loss, its relevance in several fruit-skin disorders, and its participation in postharvest decay caused by pathogens are discussed. Future challenges to study in vivo the physicochemical properties of the cuticle are also addressed.

Automated summary

Ensuring the availability of high-quality fresh fruits requires strategies to maintain prolonged shelf-life. Understanding the natural changes in the plant cuticle during postharvest and its impact on the biophysical properties is crucial in addressing the effects of different storage conditions. This article discusses the relevance of different cuticle traits on fruit water loss, their role in fruit-skin disorders, and their involvement in postharvest decay caused by pathogens.